Field Stories

These stories bring out the real-life narratives, moments, and experiences, highlighting the stories and voices of the communities our fellows work with

Guftgoo-E-Mewat

Guftgoo-E-Mewat

“आओ भाईसाहब बैठो, कुछ ठंडा वंडा पीयो” These were some of the first words that...

The Decaying Roots Of Tradition

The Decaying Roots Of Tradition

After coming to Odisha, I was invited for a wedding for the first time in a tribal village. I decided to go for it. Outside Kerala, I have only seen north Indian weddings, that too only in movies. This was going to be a completely different experience. The venue was...

Mandav Utsav 2021 : What People Had To Say

Mandav Utsav 2021 : What People Had To Say

This article is a critical appraisal of what I saw and heard when I visited Mandav for their yearly festival. All views shared are my observations from the conversations I had with the locals of Mandav,

Family Planning And Contraceptives In Rural Rajasthan

Family Planning And Contraceptives In Rural Rajasthan

After having a long discussion on the different types of contraceptive measures and advantages of having a small family, Sita* didn’t look satisfied. She turned to me and said, “Everything is on us. From taking care of the house, growing children inside us, raising...

Ajrakh Block Printing : A Photo Story

Ajrakh Block Printing : A Photo Story

The magical Yellow colour is derived from the dye preparation of turmeric and pomegranate peels An impromptu expedition led me to a village called Dhamadka, 45 kms away from Bhuj, Kutch. The entire village tells a story of the revival of an exclusive hand...

Role of a Traditional Birth Attendant : A Photo Story

Role of a Traditional Birth Attendant : A Photo Story

Utilizing institutional services and skilled care during childbirth has been proven to improve maternal and perinatal health and to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates. In fact, WHO’s key strategy to reduce these mortality rates is to ensure that all births...

हमाल भाइयों का आंदोलन किस लिए?

हमाल भाइयों का आंदोलन किस लिए?

'आवाज दो हम एक है... 'हम हमारा अधिकार मांगते, नहीं किसी से भीख मांगते', 'हमाल एकता जिंदाबाद' - ऐसे घोषणा देते हुए सुमेरपुर, पाली, राजस्थान में हमालों का आंदोलन हुआ। १८ दिसंबर को अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रवासी दिवस पर यह आंदोलन करके हमाल मजदूरों ने अपनी मांगे प्रशासन के सामने...

Mautana: Dilemma Of A Dead Body

Mautana: Dilemma Of A Dead Body

Tribal culture is the primitive culture of prehistoric era. Today, tribal groups are settled on different Padas (pieces of land). Even though the distance between the tribal people living in valleys and cities is decreasing with the increasing transportation...

Dalsinghsarai: A Place Allowing Me To Challenge Myself

I was standing alongside a brown stray dog, both of us patiently waiting on one side of the railway track. A train was expected to pass and the tracks had been temporarily shut. Along with the dog and me, there were many more people waiting – a woman on a scooter with...

Lanji’s Quest For Education And A Better Life

Lanji’s Quest For Education And A Better Life

Based on a narration by Lanji Majhi We all have had some old person trying to put us in perspective by sharing stories of how they once used to walk to school, everyday with heavy books in their bags. Well, the story that has been narrated to me by Lanji, a...

My Friend Azzli

My Friend Azzli

I opened the door of our Drop-in Centre and found a short-statured dusky woman, who had her pallu wound around her face, as if it were band-aid. And this kids, is how I met your…I mean, my best friend – Azzli*. In the beginning of the fellowship, new to the whole, “Ye...

Working With Minimum Resources, With Those Who Have Nothing

Picture by Mahir Bhatt, a 2017 fellow Trigger Warning: This is a case of suicide, as narrated by Sister Rani, a senior nurse at Swasthya Swaraj in Kalahandi, Odisha There was a sudden hustle in the clinic, almost a sort of panic as a tribal woman was brought carried...